here is where I am with the Mastermind base class. It's still a WIP, but comments are already welcome !
I need to write some class features, and I do not know yet what kind of special ability to offer at level 19.
As well, I need to write a sample archetype, or Signature.
BAB : ¾ (Like Cleric).
Saves : High Will, Low Reflex, Low Fortitude.
Skills known : All of them. 6+Int/level.
HD : d8.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Mastermind is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor and shields (except tower shields). Because he uses spells as if they were spelllike abilities, a Mastermind can wear armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. A multiclass Mastermind still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Schemes: The Mastermind is a brilliant polymath, a genius of many schemes and plots, thinking in plans within plans within plans. Always ready to use anything to advance his objectives, he will prepare himself, be it by studying ancient spells, paying lip services to gods to steal their powers, learning the art of masters –and killing them for practice.
But while a Mastermind learns many paths, he masters none of them. Rather than train in a given field, he masters all the basics and manages to pull out something useful when
the situation calls it. Beware of the Mastermind when everything goes along to his plans, for he will leverage any potential situation to further his purpose dramatically.
To represent this seemingly random body of knowledge and perfect planning, a Mastermind gains Scheme points that he can spend to activate his abilities. Each day, he gains a number of inspiration points determined by his level. A mastermind can also, by a full action, renew his Scheme points, leaving him flat flooted until the beginning of his next round : an appropriate description of such action can be cackling like a maniac, monologing, taunting an enemy with a martial flourish in combat, petting a cat, pondering broodily on your throne, killing a minion or sending an helpless victim in an extraordinarily complicated Trap of inexcapable –slow- death, watching Rome burn while reciting poetry, or anything else deemed sufficiently stylishly evil. Should the Mastemind pool be full, he can also use said action to gain an additional Scheme Point for each full round spent doing this, up to a maximum of his Int bonus * his mastermind class level. Thes additional Scheme Points should be used first, and disappear if not used after 24h.
Brutal Cunning (Ex): You have no qualm using your massive intellect to hurt others and to avoid to be hurt. Before making an attack roll, damage roll, or saving throw, you can spend 1 Scheme point to gain a competence bonus on the roll equal to your Intelligence modifier. Brutal Cunning does not require an action, and you can use it as often as you wish during your turn or others’ turns—provided that you have the Scheme points to spend. Because this ability provides a competence bonus, it does not stack with itself.
Evil Doctorate (Ex): When making a check involving a skill in which you have at least 1 rank, you can spend 1 Scheme point to gain a bonus on the check equal to your Mastermind level. You can use this ability once per day for a particular skill. For example, if you use Evil Doctorate knowledge to gain a bonus on a Hide check, you cannot use the ability to improve other Hide checks for the rest of the day, though you can use it on different skills.
Signature (Ex): You are not a mere Overlord-wanabe. You have something different, a potent talent that will grow with you, and the reason why you can be a credible candidate for World Domination.
Surnatural Plotting (Sp): At 2nd level, through dark pacts, an extensive training or be being that good and dedicated to your plans, you manage sometime to do something that looks like magic. You know that with a few weird hand gestures and an array of grunts and bizarre words, you can conjure up something that looks like a spell. By spending 1 Scheme point, you can mimic a spell as a spell-like ability. At the start of each day, choose a number of spells from any spell list based on your Mastermind level. You can choose one spell at 2nd level, and you gain additional spells as shown on Table 1–1. The maximum level of spell you can use, according to your class level, is also shown on the table. You can select any spell up to that level, but you can prepare only one spell of your maximum level. Your caster level equals your level in this character class. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against your spell is 10 + the spell level + your Int modifier.
Once you have used a spell, you cannot use it again until you have rested for 8 hours. After resting for this time, you choose new spells and lose any unused spells from the previous day, though you can select the same spell on consecutive days. You cannot prepare the same
spell multiple times to use it more than once during the same day.
You cannot use spells that require an XP cost. You must otherwise provide the necessary material components as normal.
If you wish to enhance a spell with a metamagic feat, you must apply the feat when you prepare the spell. In addition, you must be capable of using a spell of the modified spell’s level.
Cunning Brutality (Ex): You are not above using brutal force to solve a problem if need be, but you will do it intelligently. At 3rd level, you gain your Intelligence bonus as a modifier on Strength checks, Dexterity checks, and checks involving skills based on Strength or Dexterity, such as Hide, Climb, and Jump.
Cunning Denial (Ex): The Fools ! Nothing can stop you, especially not their pitiful attempts to put you down ! Starting at 3rd level, you can spend 1 Scheme point to gain your Intelligence bonus as a dodge bonus to Armor Class against one opponent for 1 round. Using this ability is a free action. You gain this benefit even while wearing medium or heavy armor. You can use this ability multiple times to gain a bonus against different opponents, but you cannot use it more than once during your turn against a single foe.
Nemesis (Ex): No more will this interlopers meddle with your plans ! You will not allow this anymore ! Starting at 4th level, you can designate a target, a group, an organisation, a race, a country, a religion or even a whole world as your Nemesis. In a free action, you swear that you will bring down your Nemesis. From now on, you gains a +2 un-typed bonus on Bluff, Gather Information, Knowledge, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against your Nemesis. Likewise, you get a +2 un-typed bonus to hit and on weapon damage rolls against it. However, Fate is a cruel mistress : your Nemesis will gain as well such a bonus against you and your associates. This bonus will stay until you, or your Nemesis, or both, dies. Should you or your Nemesis come back to life, the bonus will come again as soon one of them learn that the Nemesis is alive. You can get as many Nemesis as you wish.
At 8th level and every four levels thereafter ((12th, 16th and 20th level),, the bonus against the Nemesis and you increases by 2.
Overlord : Masterminds are legendary for the resources they can gather to further their plots, and gaining more. At 5th level and every Five level therafter (10th, 15th and 20th level), you can choose one of the following special abilites :
- Doomsday Device : access to artefacts of doom. Pay a hefty sum of Scheme Points. Invested scheme points on ti while on completion are not lost (cf the 24 hour duration of the additional Scheme Points).
- Dramatic Entrance/Exit : insure you a way to be at (or OUT) the right place at the right time by spending .
- Improved Doomsday Device : exactly what it says on the tin.
- Improved Minions :
- Improved Lair : Moon bases and the like. Immediately available if a Nemesis destroy the first one.
- Improved Personal Lieutnant
- Lair : to get a nice lair. Landlord feat ? should at least include a mandatory auto-destruction device. Should the lair be destroyed by the deeds of a Nemesis : get a new one after a delay? Spend Scheme points to improve your Lair !
- Minions : spend Schemes points to have a bunch of disposable lackeys at your side right now !
- No One could have survived that! Allow you to come back to life. The one who killed you is now a Nemesis. Can only work once against the same opponent.
- Personnal Lieutnant
Just as Planned (Ex): Starting at 8th level, you plot so well that your plans unravel in a mere blink of the eye. By spending 3 Scheme points, you can take an extra standard action during your turn.
Absolute Ruthlessness (Su): Starting at 11th level, your keen mind allows you to study an opponent and gain a brief flash of insight to breach her defenses. By spending 2 Scheme points as a free action, you can ignore a single target’s spell resistance and damage reduction for 1 round. The target automatically fails any spell resistance check that she attempts to avoid your spell.
That’s all you can do ? (Ex): At 13th level, you have defeated so many vain attempts to stop you that you have a contingency prepared against almost everything. If you take damage that would reduce you to 0 or fewer hit points, you can spend 4 Scheme points as an immediate action to ignore the damage. You dodge out of the way, take cover from a spell, throw a minion on the way, escape or simply laugh the attack off at the face at your assaillant. You can use this ability once per day.
Improved Cunning Denial (Ex): At 16th level, you gain your Intelligence bonus as a dodge bonus to Armor Class. You no longer need to spend an inspiration point to gain this benefit. Unlike the standard cunning defense ability, you do not gain this benefit when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Master Scheme (Ex): At 19th level…
Signature : it should work in steps :
- level 1 : basic.
- level 6 : advance effect.
- level 12 : master effect.
- level 18 : epic effect.
We can give there goodies according to the archetype : for instance, give a Better Fort Save and heavy armor proficiency for a combat archetype.
If there is an archetype for an evil caster, I suggest that the spells have a cost on the caster to be launched, or the surroundings, as well as increasing the Scheme points costs. better be careful with said archetype/signature.
same SLA progression as factotum. We can perhaps forget them, and give something else, and offer them in a Signature.
